• Community Cooperative Launches Annual “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” Summer Campaign to Fight Child Hunger in Southwest Florida

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Community Cooperative Launches Annual “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” Summer Campaign to Fight Child Hunger in Southwest Florida

    FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 2026) – As the school year comes to an end, Community Cooperative is once again launching its annual “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” summer food drive campaign to help combat the rise in child hunger throughout Southwest Florida during the summer months.

    For many local children, school meal programs provide a reliable source of daily nutrition during the academic year. When school is out, families are often left struggling to replace those meals, increasing the risk of food insecurity for children across the community.

    “Summer should be a time for children to enjoy being kids, not a time for families to worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Stefanie Ink, CEO of Community Cooperative. “Through our School’s Out, Hunger’s Not campaign, we are working to ensure children continue receiving nutritious food throughout the summer months when school meals are no longer available.”

    Through the campaign, Community Cooperative will distribute Hungry Hungry Kiddo Kits filled with nutritious, kid-friendly, easy-to-enjoy foods to children and families in need. These kits will be available through Community Cooperative’s Mobile Food Pantries, Community Market, partner organizations, and Sam’s Community Café & Kitchen.

    How the community can help:

    The organization is calling on the community to help support the campaign through monetary donations and food contributions. Community members, businesses, organizations, and groups are encouraged to get involved through monetary donations, food contributions, or assembling and donating Hungry Hungry Kiddo Kits to help support local children throughout the summer. These kits provide easy-access meals and snacks that help families bridge the gap when school meals are unavailable. Group kit-packing initiatives also offer a meaningful team-building opportunity while making a direct impact in the community. Community members can also participate in Community Cooperative’s Summer Cereal Drive, taking place June 1 through July 3, to help provide nutritious breakfast options for local families during the summer months.

    Every donation helps provide nourishment, stability, and hope to local children and families facing food insecurity while school is out.

    To donate or learn more, visit CommunityCooperative.com or call 239-332-7687

    About Community Cooperative
    Since 1984, Community Cooperative has worked to effectively eliminate hunger and homelessness in Southwest Florida while simultaneously inspiring and supporting sustained positive change in its clients by delivering innovative food, education, and social service programs. With a dedicated team of volunteers, board of directors, and staff, Community Cooperative remains committed to collecting and distributing resources through a strong network of community partners, serving all with compassion and integrity

    Media Contact: Maité Araiza, Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Maite@CommunityCooperative.com or call 239-332-7687 ext. 122